For the historic preservation movement to thrive in the twenty-first century it must be more energetically engaged in present needs and, at the same time, more seriously engaged with controversial pasts. These are twin pillars of a book I am writing about the future of historic preservation. It is the wish to understand how different nations and cultures wrestle with these two core preservation issues which makes me to want to spend six months at the American Academy in Rome. My project is twofold: to explore the controversial architectural heritage of Mussolini’s regime in contemporary Rome, and visit and research the work of Carlo Scarpa, who marks the start—and a high point—of architectural thinking about how to merge modern design and historic integrity. Preservation of historic buildings and public history work around sites of conscience” have been seen as two separate endeavors. I argue that these must be part and parcel of the same enterprise.